


No Mean Art

by queerlyobscure (softestpunk)



Series: An Early Acquaintance [3]
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Male Friendship, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-21
Updated: 2010-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-11 04:45:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softestpunk/pseuds/queerlyobscure
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holmes can't sleep, Victor helps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Mean Art

**Author's Note:**

> There are points up for grabs for the titular reference (it relates more closely to Holmes than Victor, so it should be an easy one). As ever, thank you to [](http://beeinmybonnet.livejournal.com/profile)[**beeinmybonnet**](http://beeinmybonnet.livejournal.com/) for letting me take what is largely her version of Victor out to play, and I promise not to do more damage than you've ever done.

It was a logical progression, really, from sleeping together on the settee to sleeping together in a bed, Victor thought. **Just** sleeping, mind, but oddly enough that didn't seem to matter with Holmes.

He wouldn't have even suggested it if he hadn't turned up in Holmes' rooms to find that he hadn't visited for three days, because he also hadn't slept for the same length of time. The poor man looked awful, and very much as though he was about to either cry or pass out, but he couldn't quite manage either since he was too exhausted for anything more than staring blankly at the wall.

Victor had managed, with some difficulty, to coax his friend into bed. He removed boots, braces and waistcoat with utmost care, while Holmes continued to sit and stare. It took no effort to get the usually twitchy, active man settled under the covers, and Victor had fully intended to leave after drawing the curtains, even making it to the door before he heard a tiny whisper from the bed.

"Stay," it went, and then even more quietly, "please."

Well, what was he to do, if not stay? He removed boots, jacket, waistcoat and braces, trying to be as quiet as possible so that Holmes could fall asleep as soon as possible, and then, after hesitating for a moment, then deciding he was being ridiculous, and it wasn't as if he'd never shared a bed before, slid under the covers behind his friend.

In an action that probably used up what little energy he had left, Holmes turned over straight away and cuddled close to Victor, whimpering softly. Victor's heart broke for him; he could only imagine the pain and frustration of being awake for so long, and being able to do nothing about it.

"Shh," he soothed, running his fingers through unkempt hair, "you can sleep now. I'll look after you."

Holmes whined again, and buried his face in Victor's shoulder. Victor cooed and shushed quietly, and kept stroking gently, trying to ease Holmes into sleep that was apparently just out of reach.

After about fifteen minutes of keeping this up, the quiet whimpering that Holmes had been keeping up intermittently faded away. Victor sighed with utmost relief, but didn't dare stop for another hour, at which point Holmes began to snore softly. Victor couldn't quite contain a giggle at that, but thankfully his friend was deeply enough asleep that it didn't wake him. Victor sent a silent thank you to Morpheus, and then contemplated whether Holmes would appreciate the comparison to Hypnos, and what he'd look like in a gown. He only just prevented himself from laughing hysterically at that, and realised then how much Holmes' distress had affected him.

It was entirely possible that the infuriating, impossible, gorgeous, innocently sweet man currently curled up beside him would eventually drive Victor insane. But somehow, as long as it meant that Holmes would still be around, that didn't seem to matter.

Victor fell asleep telling himself that when Holmes woke up, he would tell him all this, and perhaps the bit about being a beautiful God of sleep. Or perhaps not, depending on how awake he was.

By the time Victor woke again, there was no longer any sunlight trying to fight its way through the curtains. He shifted a little, and was suddenly looking into his friend's tired eyes.

"Thank you." Holmes mumbled, "I thought I might never sleep again."

Victor smiled wryly. "I have noticed before that my company has something of a sedative quality in people."

Holmes hummed softly in reply. "You're very comfortable to sleep with." He added eventually, punctuating the statement with a wide yawn.

"You're still tired. You should sleep again." Victor brushed his friend's hair back gently.

"Will you stay?"

Victor honestly felt his heart flutter at the question. _Of course_ he would stay; he wanted nothing more in that moment than to stay forever, cuddled up together in that room and away from the world and all the other people in it. But now was not the moment for confessions of that nature, so he gave the edited version, "of course."

Holmes sighed happily and buried his nose in Victor's neck. "This friendship business seems to have its benefits, after all."

Victor swallowed, and considered the wisdom of pointing out that this was considerably more than simple friendship. On the one hand, he didn't want to upset what he had at the moment by explaining the overtly romantic nature of what was going on, but on the other hand, he didn't want Holmes doing this with everyone.

No, that was an untruth. He didn't want him doing it with anyone else, ever. And that was never a wise thing to tell anyone. Victor was almost thankful that Holmes simply didn't have friends, despite the firm belief that every person who came into contact with him should want to do anything they could for him. Perhaps it was just as well that Victor was good at keeping secrets, then.

"I did say it would, didn't I?" Victor smiled softly, "you reminded me of Hypnos earlier."

"And you were Morpheus, guarding over my slumber?" Holmes sounded greatly amused by the idea.

"I had rather thought of Thánatos." Victor began, and then rethought the wisdom of making thinly veiled suggestions of incestuous love affairs. "Though that works as well. You've been reading up."

"I have. Are you pleased?"

Victor smiled again, and felt a wave of warmth run through him at the thought that Holmes had been studying for him. "Very pleased, but there's no need."

"Of course there is," Holmes stated seriously, "I wish to understand you better, and studying your interests is a good way to do so. Besides, they aren't terrible stories, all told."

"I rather like the illustrations, myself." Victor grinned.

"Of course you do," Holmes snuggled closer, "which is why I am still sleeping in my clothes. I would hate to disappoint you."

Victor gasped softly, and hugged Holmes closer while he wondered what exactly that meant, before deciding to take it at face value, which in Holmes' case was simply that he was used to sleeping naked, and didn't want to upset Victor with his habit. Which was not something Victor was up to contemplating at the moment. Especially the 'sleeping naked' part. "You could never disappoint me, but you might well freeze, and I would miss you terribly if that happened."

A soft kiss to the hollow of his throat was the first response Victor received, and he nearly missed it when Holmes spoke up again because of it. "I don't want you to miss me."

"I don't want to miss you, either." That was as good an in as he was going to get, so Victor took a careful breath to ask his next question. "Come and stay with me over the summer?" He asked in a rush.

Holmes was silent for a few moments, and then he looked up with a tiny smile on his face. "I'd love to. Thank you, Victor."

"You are very welcome. I don't think I would have survived the break without you. Now go back to sleep." Victor kissed Holmes' forehead softly.

"Do you really think me beautiful?" Holmes asked tiredly.

Victor paused for a long moment, swallowing down a treatise on just _how_ beautiful he thought Holmes was, and finally replied, "yes."

He waited a few seconds for a response, and then looked down to find that Holmes was already asleep. He settled down once again, more than willing to sleep for days on end if it meant he could stay.


End file.
